Humanity+

Humanity+ (WTA) Constitution

Constitution and ByLaws in PDF

Adopted 12/17/2001, Amended 1/29/2002, 3/20/2002, and 4/14/2009

 

Article I. Name

 

The name of this organization shall be the World Transhumanist Association (which may be abbreviated WTA), a not-for-profit corporation; and our doing-business-as name is Humanity+ (HumanityPlus when the "+" is not available on the platform in use), which may also be abbreviated H+.

 

Article II. Purpose

 

The goal of the World Transhumanist Association is to support discussion and public awareness of emerging technologies, to defend the right of individuals in free and democratic societies to adopt technologies that expand human capacities, and to anticipate and propose solutions for the potential consequences of emerging technologies.

 

Article III Members

 

Section 1. Membership shall be open to every person generally supportive of the outlook of the Humanity+ as represented by its Mission Statement and Declaration, and its ongoing activities.

 

Section 2. Every applicant for membership shall petition the Organizational Secretary for membership directly or through the Humanity+ website.

 

Section 3. There shall be two membership statuses, basic and full. Basic members are eligible to receive the quarterly Humanity+ news and to participate in the general Humanity+ discussion list. Full members however, who pay annual dues determined by the Board of Directors, may additionally participate in the Humanity+ decision-making list, and vote for and become a part of the Humanity+ Board of Directors. Applicants become full members upon receipt of their dues.

 

Section 4. Local chapters of Humanity+ are autonomous, and members of Humanity+ chapters do not have to join the Humanity+. However, to be recognized by Humanity+ as a Humanity+ chapter, groups must appoint a liaison or liaisons to Humanity+ and submit a charter defining the goals of the group and the geographic area to be served (if any). Members of Humanity+ are not automatically members of any local chapters of Humanity+, who may have additional membership dues and requirements.

 

Section 5. The amount of membership dues of individuals shall be set by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall establish various levels of membership fees, including but not limited to: a) an amount for employed residents of developed nations, b) a sustainer and/or sponsor amount, which shall confer no extra rights or privileges, but the names of whom may be made public with the permission of each sustainer or sponsor; and c) amounts for students, the unemployed and the retired, and for people in developing countries.

 

Section 6. The right of members to post messages to Humanity+ email lists may be revoked by a majority vote of the Board of Directors or by an official invested by the Board with the authority to revoke posting privileges; in the latter case the official shall notify the Executive Director and the Board that posting privileges have been revoked. 

 

Section 7. All members of Humanity+ attest by joining that they are generally supportive of the outlook of the Humanity+ as represented by its Mission Statement and Declaration, and its ongoing activities.. Members, both basic and full, can be excluded from membership if they are found, by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors, to be substantially unsupportive of the outlook of the Humanity+ as represented by its Mission Statement and Declaration and ongoing activities, or if they consistently engage in disruptive behavior. Members facing expulsion must receive written notice of charges against them and must be given the opportunity to respond to the Board of Directors.

 

Article IV. Board of Directors

 

Section 1. The highest decision-making body of the Humanity+ shall be the Board of Directors. The Humanity+ Board of Directors is charged with establishing the overall direction and short-term and long-term goals of the Humanity+. The Board is also charged with fundraising activities with support and implementation from the Executive Director. The Board shall select, appoint, and support the Executive Director and shall review on an annual basis the performance of the Executive Director.

 

Section 2. The Humanity+ Board of Directors shall have ten members. In the event that the Board has less than ten members, Humanity+ members may nominate themselves or be nominated, and elections arranged on Humanity+ decision-making list by the Organizational Secretary, until all ten positions are filled.

 

Section 3. Half of the Humanity+'s Board of Directors will be elected by full individual members of the World Transhumanist Association in the January of even numbered years (e.g. 2002, 2004, 2006) to serve a two-year term. The other half of the Board of Directors will be elected in the January of odd-numbered years (e.g. 2003, 2005, 2007) to serve a two-year term. Only full Humanity+ members in good standing, as determined by the Organizational Secretary, are eligible to serve on the Humanity+ Board of Directors.

 

Section 4. The Board of Directors will elect from among its own members each year the following officers: Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. The duties of the officers shall include the following: a) The Chair and Vice-Chair shall be the overall coordinators of Humanity+ activities, and will convene and coordinate the deliberations of the Humanity+ decision-making and Board of Directors lists. b) The Organizational Secretary shall collect membership dues, maintain membership records, and maintain contact with local chapters. The Organizational Secretary will report on Humanity+ membership to the Humanity+ Board of Directors twice a year. c) The Treasurer shall oversee the funds of the Humanity+, present the Humanity+ Board of Directors with an annual budget, and report to the Humanity+ Board of Directors on Humanity+ finances twice a year. It is possible for one person to function as more than one officer, but the Chair and the Treasurer must be different persons.

 

Section 5. For the purpose of all votes held by the Humanity+, both by the full membership and by the Board of Directors, a majority shall constitute one vote more than 50% of all votes cast, and two-thirds shall be one vote more than 66.66% of all votes cast. The number of all votes cast shall include formal abstentions.

 

Article V.  Executive Director

 

The Executive Director is the highest executive officer of the Humanity+. The Executive Director shall be selected, appointed, and supported by the Board of Directors, and the Board of Directors will review the performance of the Executive Director on an annual basis. The Executive Director shall establish and manage the day-to-day operations and internal processes of Humanity+, including establishing employee requirements and managing employees.

 

Article VI. Dissolution

 

In the event of the dissolution of the World Transhumanist Association, all remaining funds and assets are to be released to such other organizations that are organized for purposes congruent with the Transhumanist Declaration.

 

Article VII. Parliamentary Authority

 

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are consistent with the conduct of electronic decision-making and this Constitution.

 

Article VIII. Amendments

 

This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the full members of the Humanity+ provided that amendments have been posted on the Humanity+ decision-making email list for thirty days.

 

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Adopted 12/17/2001

 

Amended 1/29/2002, 3/20/2002, 4/14/2009